Mining machine



3 Sheets-Sheet J. M. LoNDoN MINING MACHINE original Filed Oct- 30, 1915 @Ilich |Ol SOL lOl June 29 1926.

June 29 19.26'.` 1,590,585

J. M, LONDON MINING MACHINE oiginal Filed OLISO, 1915 '3 Sheets-Sheet Z J. M. LONDN- MINING MACHINE June 29 1926@ l Original Filed 'JCq 50, 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Imi/evalua@ Jaeoz MLondon, 634W, M

Patented June 29, 1926.

Unirse stares r-lrarrenr caries.;

JACOB 1E. LONBON, 'OF BROOK MASSACHUSETTS.

MINING' MACHINE.

Application filed October' 30, 1915,Seria1 No. 58,895. Renewed Septenibenf22, 1924.,

This invention pertains to improvements in mining machinery and more particularly, thoughnot exclusively, to improvements in chain mining machines of the ,entry cutting f type` wherein'the actuatingk and cutting appliances of the mining' machine are Apivotallymounted. i

In machines-nf this class, ment has heretofore been mounted on a1pivot on a truck, the machinev and the truck being advanced towards the work with thecutter bar held at an anglel relative tothe axis of the entry to be cut, theiiwhen theA cutter bar has cut its'way into-the coal, the cutter bar is swung laterally acrossthe axis,v of the en of the kerf which is necessarilya consider-- able distance above the `mine bottoiinthereby makinga` centeiv'cut rather'than an iin-- dercut. This is peculiarly'dis'advantageous1 in flow 'coal The second, also peculiarly' disadvantageous 1n low coal'is the height of the appai'atus, which Ynecessarilyl includes not only theheight of the miningfniachine but all,'or a considerable. portion of the heightofthe trucl.

The'thii'd 'disadvantage is 'thenecessity of pnoviding turn out'sinto eaclijentry and tracks'up to the faceofthe coal at the: end of-the entry.

The fourth 'disadvantage is the liabilityof thetraclrsto sag or be uneven, VVwhich asrtlie`l cutterbanis advanced into the work, binds thecutterk bar.. It is clear that even a slight deviation ofV the tracks froma single plane, 1J will resultinfeither a raising oi'h a lowering of theftruclnwvhichin turn. will cause them cutter bar' to bind on the top and cn thebot# tom Vof the ker-f. Y

Thelifth, is the-instability of the truck which must, in most instances, be of` comparatively narrow gage and short wheelbase.` l Iii the"v accompanying,drawings I have' for.' purposes of villustration one 'ein`I b in the line 4 4: cf Fig. l;

the4 cutting ele y'lockthe mining machine in any desired am fray' assume' in Fig. l is a plan of a sliding swivel pan 5,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation on tlielinef3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation- ,on.

Fig'. 5 is a sideelevation of a min ing...ma,

`a swivel truck, and

Figs. 6 and 7, illustratevarious operations vof theinachine.,

Referring tothe drawings,-I have shown by thepan 8 on whichl is preferably mounted inne, eminsYLvAnrz-i, `Assieion rro `SULLIVAN MA1., crimen? COMPANY, or cizanniaonrr, new .'naivirsrrinn, A ccaronii'rion on` Y 6G chine, and. a: sliding: swivel pan mountedgon a guiding and. supportingelement typified for sliding, guided movement, longitudinally sliding l supporting ,means i .typiiied uby the turntable ibase 9, which is .preferably -round as illustrated. .f

To keep the cutteribar ,as .low as possible.A

I prefer to Ldispense with any superimposed turntable'fmember and towprovide a rotate.,

able turntable .portionlO providedwith attachment means such as the cap screws l1,- adaptedto engage thek bottom ofthe mining machine, which may be of the usual slidingY H bed type. Y To increase thel surfaceof the min-- ing machine .in rotativevsliding contact with-` the turntable base 9, I preferablyattach one.,

ormore projectingmembers to-the sides-of A the'A mining .-machiiie, typified byt theangle.;v

irons l2; These may,convenientlybeusedlto gulaii relation to theaXisof theupanE To this end I` may provideilocling means whichz may comprise pins 13 ,adaptedfto pass throughv holes in the flangesfof-thef angle`l Y irons 19. and enter any ene of a plurality ofv holes 14 in the turntable base.f9.

The -panE 8 'preferably comprises side meine, bers lapreferablyof angle ironandprefera-'bly held'v in parallel; relaticnybyi-bottom lates 16 on which thewhole-apparatusmay -bev slid along the-.mine .bottoinitoproperly position the `miningmach-inev for itsv entryV cutting work During the cutting operation, however,` the panis preferably) stationary while the mining machine isfed to the work' 100 by being fed forward. with the-turntable`v base -9 which'is mountedv for sliding, guidefl,v

-movement on theipan 8,*and -otherwiseopeify ated as lhereinafter( described.

I provide" rabbe taeted; i te the ,-t u

longitudinally extending plates 18. These plates 18 are preferably located so that the turntable base 9 may rest upon them, thus providing an ample bearing surface. To this end I preferablyposition them flush with the top of the flanges of the angle irons 15 by providing spacing` members 19 and 20.

To construct the pan without undue weight and to provide convenient access to the cap screws 11., I preferably space the bottom plates 16 a considerable distance apart. It will-be noted that the construction of the pan illustrated keeps the mining machine as near the floor of the mine as is consistent with the provision of longitudinal guiding means and pivotal supporting means.

If desired, the mining machine may be detached and be used for sliding operation on the mine bottom for regular long wall or room and pillar worlr.

My invention is peculiarly advantageous for use in low coal. In driving entries in low coal it is desirable to dispense with brushing or increasing the height of the entry until the entry has been advanced or driven a considerable distance. I provide a truck l() for transporting the pan and mining machine about the main entries. As the cross entries are transverse to the main ent nies, I provide a swivel mounting l1 on the truck" to enable the pan and mining nacl'iine to be swung across the axis of the main entry and discharge in alignment with the cross entry to be operated upon.

To hold the mining machine in fixed relation to the pan during transportation on the truck and during its sliding traverse, I preferably provide stops 21 against which the mining machine may abut when in its extreme rearward position in the frame, and cooperating with side members 23, which may be integral with the angle irons 15, to prevent swinging movement when the mining machine is in the rearward position. To prevent or permit forward movement of the mining machine on the pan as desired, I provide a stop 22 which isv adapted to be engaged by a latch 101 on the mining machine.

To insure the proper positioning of the apparatus on the truck, I provide supplementary positioning means comprising a lat-ch 24 adapted to engage a. stop on the swinging truclr frame. To prevent swinging of the swinging truck frame 43, I provide locking means 102 for preventing rotation of the turntable. In a truclr which is propelled by the actuator of separable mining machine as is common in the art,the above complex locking system is ssential to prevent not only longitudinal but swinging relative displacement of the truck and driving mechanism owing to the provision of turntable means.

As the details of the truck driving mechanism form no part of the present invent-ion, no description thereof is herein made.

The mining machine 7 may be of any preferred type but preferably is provided with a cutter bar adapted to beheld rigidly in. fixed relation to the machine, an actuator and flexible feeding tension means which preferably includes a feed chain 25 engaging winding means as a. winch 26.

rlhe winch 26 is rotated by the actuator of the mining machine. flexible tension means to a fixed support and engaging the former with Vthe winding means, the actuator of the mining machine Bi anchorinow the` will pull itself and the sliding swivel pan to the worlr, as shown in Fig. 6. .Vhen the pan is adjacent the face of coal at the end of the entry and aligned therewith, the latch holding the mining machine bacl; in the pan, may

be lifted and the machine will then slide forward on the pan. lWhen clear of the lateral positioning members 23, the machine may be swung on the turntable to the angle shown in Fig. 7, locked there by the. pins 13, and then advanced into the work until the position shown in Fig. .7 is attained. rllhe pins may then be removed and the chain adjusted, as shown in Fig. ter bar across the axis of the entry thereby cutting a lrerf. If desired, the machine may then be retracted while sliding on the pan, to complete a lierf, as indicated by ,dottedv lines in Fig. 7. Y

In the operation of my improved construction in entry cutting, the machine is usually run into the entry on the mine track, and the pan with the mining machine supported thereon is then unloaded from the truck until supported by the mine bottom, the same being preferably disposed'substantially in alignment with the track. rIhus, it will be observed that the bar is enabled to operate very close to the bottom and in a plane substantially beneath the plane of the track rails, in such a manner as materially to increase the'tonnage, about a ton of additional coal Ybeing mined at each cut, and at the same time to minimize the expense and diiliculties incidentto the removal of the stratum of coal lying'between the bottom of the kerf and the mine bottom. Obviously, through the use of my improved construction, the pan may also be readily used in driving entries where, for one reason or another, it is undesirable or impossible' to provide a track, the pan and machine then being bodilv slid along upon the mine bottom into the desired location. As 'a result of my improved construction, it will also be observed that the pan resting upon the bottom of the mine affords a very stable support and, owing to its rigidity and unitary structure, insures the maintenance of theV cutter bar in a given plane, thus preventing 7, to swing the cnt.

llt)

1 ,senses any cramping of the cutter bar. Attention is also directedto the fact that by the use of my improved apparatuswhieh is capable of operating very close to the bottom, the same is well adapted to' use in low seams of coal. It will also be noted that through the use of my improved construct-ion, not

I only may the mining machine be transportedA from place to place on the truck and, if desired, used as an ordinary truck-mounted entry Vdriving machine when thereon, or used separately with the pan in other relations, but that the mining machine may itself be readily removed from the pan and used in any desired relation without in any way interfering with its usefulness'as a standard type of machine.

If it is desirable to make a cut at an inclination to the mine bottom the pan 43 may be only partially unloaded from the truck, the front end ofthe pan being sup'- ported by the mine bottom and the rear end by the truck, and the miningmachine may be moved down the sloping pan 43 and mayv be operated when thereon to make the sumping, transverse, and'withdrawal cuts in the same manner in which these cuts are made when the pan 43 rests entirely o-n the mine bottom. Since the weight of the mining machine and pan will tilt the truck 40 when the pan and machine are being unloaded therefrom, the rear end of the pan may be supported at substantially the height of the truck from the mine bottom or on the vforward end of the truck closely adjacent'the mine bottom, by merely adjusting the position of the rear end of the pan on the truck, and it is possible because of this adjustment to so place the pan that the cutter bar will cut a non-horizontal kerf the front edge of which will contact with the mine bottom proper in advance of the face of the entry.

It is highly desirable in making entry cuts to cut on the mine bottom or as closelyv adjacent thereto as possible. lith the pan 43 resting directly on the mine bottom, the kerf that is cut is substantially on the mine bottom, the distance between the mine bottom and the cutter bar beingl limited only by the depth of the pan which,`as is clearly shown in the drawings, has been made a minimum. By using the cutting mechanism in inclined position, i. e. when on the sloping` pan as described above, a part of even the strata next the mine bottom may be removed, leaving only shallow, wedge-V shaped blocks of coal, the base of thewedge being adjacent the entry face and the point thereof coming at the place where the' end of the cutter bar touches the mine bottom.

It is thus seen that by mvimproved` con-l may be" unloaded from `the truck at Vany i angle 44thereto g their miningmachine and" may be partially unloaded" from the truck for cutting on the pan at an angle to the horizontal; or the mining machine and pan may be completely unloaded from the truck for cutting a kerf in the face of an entry substantially on the mine botto1n,in which case the pan'functions as a'skid for moving the miningv machine from the truck to the entry face and as a` guiding means during the cutting operation. Thesev and other advantages of my improvedl construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art'.

It will be understood that my invention is not'limited to that embodiment of my invention illustrated and described but may be greatly varied within the scope of the appended claims.

l/Vhatv I claim and desire by Letters Patent to procure, comprises 1. lvlining apparatus comprising in combination a relatively long, low, solid, normally stationary, guiding means adapted to rest directly upon a mine bottom, a flat, relatively thin turntable base, resting directly on said guiding means, adapted to move in guidedrelation'thereto, and to directly receive on its flat topv a complete, independ-` ently operative, mining'ma-chine as a unit, for rotary movement thereon, whereby the cutter bar of the mining machine is brought substantially lto the surface ofthe bottom' of the mine. f

2.l Mining apparatus comprisingin combination a relatively longx low, solid,normally stationary, guiding means adapted to rest directly upon a mine bottom, a flat, relatively thin' turntable base', resting directly on said guiding means, adapted to move in guided relation thereto, and to directly receive on its flat' top a complete, independently operative, mining machine as a unit, for rotary movement thereon, whereby the cutterbar of the mining machine is brought substantially to the surface of the bottom of the' mine, and' means carriedby the mining machine and cooperating with'saidbase, for locking the machine in the desired rotary position on the base.

3. Mining apparatus comprising, in com-I bination, a truck, ai guiding lframe reciprocable relative to said truck and 'slidable over the mine bottom, a turn-table elementslid.- ably mounted on said guiding frame. a miningv machine mounted on saidturn-table element and having a cutter bar disposed in adjacent parallelism to said guiding frai'ne, means forholding saidv mining machine in fixed relation to said frame, and means for holdingsaid frame inflated relation to said truck.

4. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, an elongated relatively low' frame slidable onfthe niine'bot'tom, a* mining machine operatively supported by sairlfraine and having,r a cutter bar projectingr theretrom in adjacency to thetop of said frame, said cutter bar being' substantially in a plane parallel to said iframe, a sliding' support for said mining' machine operatively interposed between vsaid iframe and said mining niachine, a pivot connecting' said sliding support and said mining` machine, and flexible feeding; means for advancing' said sliding support lengthwise of said trame and tor sii/inging said mining` machine on said pivot to cut an arcuate lreric across the end ot said frame substantially the depth ol said frame above the inne bottom.

5. A mining` machine con'iprising, in combination, a truclr, a removable pan slidablc over the mine bottom and slidably mounted on said truck, a turntable element carried by said pan, a mining machine slidably mounted on said turntable element and having' a cutting element normally disposed in a plane closely adjacent the plane ot said pan, and means connected to said mining machine for slidinp' said machine relative to said pan and for slidingl said pan relative to vsaid truck.

6. Mining apparatus comprising', in combination, a mining' machine, a pivotal support therefor, a trame adapted to rest on and in adjacency to the mine bottom on which said pivotal support is traversed ad jacent the mine bottom in guided supported relation during' the operation ot' said miin ing machine, a Wheeled truclr on which said frame with said mining; machine mounted thereon may be mounted, and locking' means for holding' said mining' machine relative to said trame and said t-ruclr during movement of said truck.

7. lil/lining apparatus comprising, in combination, a mining machine, a pivotal support therefor, a trame adapted to rest on and in adjacency to the mine bottom ou which said pivotal support is traversed adjacent the mine bottom in @guided supported relation during; the operation ot' said mining machine, a Wheeled .truck on which said` frame With said mining'V machine mounted thereon may be mounted, and locking' means for holding said mining,y machine relative to said trame and said truckA during mining machine actuated movement of said truck.

8. Mining' apparatus comprising, in coinbination, cutting` appliances, a pivotal sun` port therefor, a 'trame adapted to rest on and in adjacency to the mine bottom on which said pivotal support is traversed adjacent the mine bottom in lguided suj'iported relation during' the operation ot said cuttings; appliances. a Wheeled trucl; on Which said rame with said cutting' appliances mount ed thereon may be mounted, and means for holding said cuttinpgappliances relative to said frame and said 'truck during; move# ment tif-nein n 9. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, a mining machine, a pivotal support therefor, a 'trame adapted to rest on and in adjacency to the mine bottom on Which said pivotal support. is traversed adjacent the mine bottom in guided supported relation during the operation ot sait mining machine, a wheeled truck ou which said trame with said mining' machine mounted thereon may be mounted, and means'or holding' said mining machine relative to said trame and said truckv during movement of said truck.

l0. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, a mining' machine, a pivotal support therefor, a trame adapted to rest on and in adjacency to the mine bottom on which said pivotal support is traversed adjacent t ie mine bottom in guided supported relation curing the operation of said minmachine, a Wheeled truck on which said frame with said mining machine mounted thereon may be mounted, and means for holding; said mining' machine relative to` said frame and said truck during mining machine actuated movement oi said truck.

ll. li/lining apparatus comprising', in combination, a rigid guiding trame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining' cutting` and providing' a cutter bar narrower than said traine but disposable duringI cuttin at angles to said trame at either side of the latter whereby a hert Wider than said trame may be cut, and a truck upon which said guiding; traine is supportable in' Whole or in part for transport or inclined cutting` respectively.

12. Mining apparatus comprising', in combination, a rigid guiding' frame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining; mechanism slidable thereonvduring cut-ting; and including' a mining machine having' a rigidly projecting cutter bar and lisposable in diiierent angular relations to said frame so that said bar may project at either sideA ot said trame during movement therealong whereby said bar may out at either side otsaid Jframe, and a truck upon Which said guiding' trame is supportable in Who-le or in part for transport or inclined cutting; respectively.

13. Mining' apparatus comprising, in combination, a rigid guiding frame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining' mechanism slidable thereon during cutting' and providing' a cutter bar narrower than said tramev but disposable during cutting' at angles to said 'frameateither side ot the latter vvherebj7 a korf Wider than said frame may be cut, and a truclr upon which said guidingframe is supportable in Whole or in part tor transport or inclined cutting respectively, said mining mechanism ei'leet ."ftir.

mechanism slidable thereon duringV surface is closely adjacent the upper surface of said guiding frame.

14. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination7 a rigid guiding` frame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining mechanism slidable thereon during cutting and including mining machine having a rigidly projecting cutter bar and disposable in different angular relations to said frame for movement therealong whereby said bar may cut at either side of said frame, and a truck upon which said guiding frame is supportable in whole or in part for transport or inclined cutting respectively, said mining mechanism eifecting cutting of kerfs whose lower bounding surface is' closely adjacent the upper surface of said guiding frame.

15. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, a rigid guiding frame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining mechanism slidable thereon during cutting' and providing a cutter bar narrower than said frame but disposable during cutting at angles to said frame at either side of the latter whereby a kerf wider than said frame may be cut, and a truck upon which said guiding frame may be suitably disposed in parallelism to the path of movement of said truck for transport about a mine.

16. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, a guiding frame 'adapted to lie upon a mine `bottom during cutting and mining mechanism slidable thereon during cutting and including a mining machine having a rigidly projecting cutter bar and disposable in different angular relations to said frame for movement therealong whereby said bar may cut at either side of said frame, and a truck upon which said guiding frame may be suitably disposed in parallelism to the path of movement of said truck for transport about a mine.

17. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination5 a guiding frame adapted to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining mechanism slidable thereon during cutting and providing a cutter bar narrower than said frame but disposable during cutting at angles to said frame whereby a kerf wider than said frame may be cut, and a truck upon which said guiding frame may be suitably disposed in parallelism to the 'path of movement of said truck for transport about a. mine, said mining mechanism effecting cutting of kerfs whose lower bounding surface is closely adjacent the upper surface of said guiding frame.

18. Mining apparatus comprising, in combination, a guiding frame adapted .to lie upon a mine bottom during cutting and mining mechanism slidable thereon during cutting and including a mining machine having Va rigidly projecting cutter bar and disposable in different angular relations to said frame for movement therealong where- Aby said bar may cut at either side of said Y frame, and a truck upon which said guiding frame may be suitably disposed in parallelism to the. path of movement of said truck for transport about a mine, said mining mechanism effecting cutting of lrerfs whose lower bounding surface is closely adjacent the upper surface of said guiding frame.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JACOB M. LONDON. 

